It was the first school board meeting for the North Schuylkill School District since a county judge removed almost every member. And, just hours before the meeting, the judge appointed four new ones.
Grace Glowacki, Debra Hampton, Kelly Moran and Robin Hetherington are the new members of the North Schuylkill School Board.
Hours after Schuylkill County Judge D. Michael Stine filed an order appointing them to those positions, the new members attended a school board meeting at the North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School that drew quite a crowd.
"This is a rather unique situation. In fact, I don't know if this has ever happened in the state of Pennsylvania," said Robert Gantman of Ringtown.
On Tuesday, Judge Stine removed eight members from the board, including the president and vice president, leaving only one board member standing.
At the start of the meeting Hetherington was named president. The job of vice president went to the sole member of the previous board, Robert Orth.
"A lot of responsibility on my shoulders," said Orth. "And, if I can offer any advice to the people of the North Schuylkill School District, I'm going to do all I can to help those people out." During the meeting, Orth praised his former board colleagues for all their hard work, but would not talk about their removal. "As far as I'm concerned it happened, it needs to put it behind us," said Orth.
The 2009-2010 budget was on the agenda for approval. Despite a June 30 deadline, a vote on the tentative $24 million spending plan was delayed.
"It would be irresponsible on our part to vote on a budget we have never seen. I still have not seen it," said President Hetherington.
The North Schuylkill School Board plans to vote on the budget next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Junior/Senior High School.
Grace Glowacki, Debra Hampton, Kelly Moran and Robin Hetherington are the new members of the North Schuylkill School Board.
Hours after Schuylkill County Judge D. Michael Stine filed an order appointing them to those positions, the new members attended a school board meeting at the North Schuylkill Junior/Senior High School that drew quite a crowd.
"This is a rather unique situation. In fact, I don't know if this has ever happened in the state of Pennsylvania," said Robert Gantman of Ringtown.
On Tuesday, Judge Stine removed eight members from the board, including the president and vice president, leaving only one board member standing.
At the start of the meeting Hetherington was named president. The job of vice president went to the sole member of the previous board, Robert Orth.
"A lot of responsibility on my shoulders," said Orth. "And, if I can offer any advice to the people of the North Schuylkill School District, I'm going to do all I can to help those people out." During the meeting, Orth praised his former board colleagues for all their hard work, but would not talk about their removal. "As far as I'm concerned it happened, it needs to put it behind us," said Orth.
The 2009-2010 budget was on the agenda for approval. Despite a June 30 deadline, a vote on the tentative $24 million spending plan was delayed.
"It would be irresponsible on our part to vote on a budget we have never seen. I still have not seen it," said President Hetherington.
The North Schuylkill School Board plans to vote on the budget next Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Junior/Senior High School.
